Find a Hero in Me
by Fuujin Kishukaze
Summary: A pre-Utena fic in which Saiyonji and Jury have a bit of an argument, and Saiyonji feels as though he can take on the world.


Author's Notes: Well, I'm going to warn you now that this fic is pre-series. It's not really gonna explain anything... but at least you'll have a little more insight into Saiyonji's sad obssession with Anshii after this. Um... yeah. Please read and review what I wrote, and maybe I'll write some more like I was going to when I first started writing this. Oh, and I don't own Utena... but enjoy the fic anyway. ^_- One last note - if you didn't know, the 'sekai no hate' is the 'end of the world' in Japanese.   
  
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Amethyst eyes stared blankly into the setting sun that poured into the small dojo, as their owner's body concentrated on the precise movements taught in kendo. And for those who knew Saiyonji Kyoichi, this wasn't unusual. Instead, they knew he happened to slip into a place between waking and dreaming when he practiced his beloved sword art, and it made him all the more deadly. But even though his vacant eyes as he moved the bokken downwards in a slow slashing motion was normal, it was haunting. In fact, the only person who could stand to watch him when he went into one of his trances was Touga, and the only reason the Student Council President could stand it was because he did the same thing on the rare occasions he practiced his fencing style.  
  
So, as Jury entered the dojo she immediately forced back the urge to shudder, and then called to him. "Saiyonji-kun," the blonde shouted, as if raising her voice would bring the jaden-haired kendoka back to reality.   
  
Though if it did, there was no way of telling, because Saiyonji halted his practice pattern abruptly. Turning gracefully to face the woman who addressed him, anger flashed in his eyes. He had never been fond of the Student Council members - which was why he had stopped attending their petty little meetings long ago - and Jury was his least favorite of the bunch. He suspected the feelings were mutual though, as she kept out of his areas if she could help it just as he kept out of hers. And this little breech of their unspoken agreement was the source of his current rage.  
  
"What do you want?" Saiyonji snapped, driving the point of his wooden practice blade lightly into the dojo floor as he leaned on it.  
  
Jury responded, "Another letter came from the Sekai no Hate today," her tone matching the jaden-haired male's in pointedness. There was a pause, as the fencing team captain awaited some grand answer from her fellow Rose Duelist, and when none came, she merely added, "There's supposed to be another duel today - in the forest after school."  
  
"I'm well aware of where they hold the duels, Jury... it's who the battle's between that I don't know." In all actuality, Saiyonji had a pretty good idea of who was up for a duel; he was pretty sure it was him versus the current possessor of the Rose Bride, Jury. After all, if it wasn't then why the hell had she come here unnecessarily?  
  
An expression that could only have been called cruel found it's way to the golden-haired duelist's face. "The letter says that you and I are supposed to fight. So, I guess that mean I'll be seeing you at the usual place after school, ne Saiyonji-kun?" The man in question made a small non-committal sound in the back of his throat, and Jury's cold expression was replaced once more by anger. "Just be there - the Student Council is getting tired of your failure to commit to this." And with that, Jury fled from the room without saying any more.  
  
Saiyonji on the other hand remained, a smirk creeping onto his face. In the last few weeks he had been training harder than he ever had before, hoping that he would be able to beat anyone the Sekai no Hate decided to send him up against. And at the moment, the jaden-haired kendoka was confident that he could defeat anyone - including Touga, who had proved, on several occasions to be better at kendo than him. So, there was no doubt in his mind that he would rescue Anshii from Jury... And that would make him not only the Rose Bride's fiancée, but her hero as well... or so he hoped.  
  
Because, he had prayed from the moment that he had first learned about the duels that he would be able to ride up on a white horse and save Anshii from anything that opposed her. And that she would find and fall in love with the hero he knew was hidden deep with in him. 


End file.
